Police scandal follows Victorian Government, 12 months later

DAVID MARK: Tensions within the Victorian Coalition Government exploded today.

A Liberal MP Bill Tilley explained why he secretly recorded a conversation with his Coalition partner, the leader of the Victorian Nationals and Deputy Premier, Peter Ryan.

Bill Tilley claims Mr Ryan 'verballed' him in an attempt to get him to change his version of events about a conversation in the lead up to the resignation of Victoria Police Commissioner, Simon Overland.

Mr Ryan says it's all much ado about nothing and he's taking legal advice after being labelled a liar by the Opposition.

Simon Lauder reports.

SIMON LAUDER: Simon Overland resigned as Victoria's police chief about a year ago, after a campaign to undermine him which was waged from within the office of the Police Minister, Peter Ryan.

Former police officer and Liberal MP Bill Tilley lost his job as the junior police minister after the Office of Police Integrity found Mr Tilley had met with the then deputy commissioner Sir Ken Jones about the leadership of Victoria Police.

Mr Tilley gave evidence to the OPI that he had told Mr Ryan of that meeting, but Mr Ryan maintained he wasn't told.

Earlier this week Mr Tilley told the Herald Sun, Peter Ryan rang him just days after the OPI report and Mr Tilley's resignation as junior police minister and tried to get him to change his version of events.

Mr Tilley spoke about that conversation today.

BEN TILLEY: I felt that some of those things that were said in the initial parts of that conversation, yes using the word verballed, yes I have used the word verballed.

SIMON LAUDER: He told ABC Local Radio he started running a tape over the phone call after he'd been verballed by the Deputy Premier.

BEN TILLEY: I wanted to adopt what was said as a form of notes in the event that it needed to establish the truth to a particular issue. It's unfortunate. This is absolutely unfortunate that the way that this has been played out publicly.

But I don't step back for one moment in relation to the demands and the integrity that people have to set for themselves.

SIMON LAUDER: Days after that phone call the two put out a joint statement, explaining their conflicting evidence to the OPI by saying that each had different recollections.

Peter Ryan flatly denies the claim that he tried to get Mr Tilley to change his story.

PETER RYAN: No I did not.

JOURNALIST: (inaudible) with Bill Tilley over this issue.

PETER RYAN: No, Bill apparently came to that conclusion or expressed that concern and that's fine, that's fine by me. No problem at all. As I said at the outset of this exercise, we had a point of view in relation to a particular recollection of that conversation that day more than 12 months ago.

We discussed it and we concluded with the agreed statement which was issued in November last year and which each of us is able to confirm is still in place.

SIMON LAUDER: The leader of the Victorian Nationals also rejects the suggestion that Mr Tilley's claims should invite new questions over whether Mr Ryan knew about the campaign to undermine Simon Overland.

PETER RYAN: It all amounts to much ado about nothing and we now have a situation which is exactly that that applied in November last year.

SIMON LAUDER: It's about a year since Simon Overland resigned his post as the state's top policeman and the continued questions are an unwelcome distraction for the Baillieu Government.

But Mr Ryan has indicated the state Opposition may have reacted to the claims a little too enthusiastically. He's now seeking legal advice, after being labelled a liar by the Opposition's police spokesman James Merlino.

PETER RYAN: I am seeking legal advice and the matter is in the hands of my solicitors.

SIMON LAUDER: The Opposition leader Daniel Andrews has responded swiftly to the suggestion of a lawsuit.

DANIEL ANDREWS: We would welcome that. In fact I couldn't think, it would be great fun.

DANIEL ANDREWS: This is a shambles, an absolute shambles with one Coalition party at war with the other, junior ministers taping senior ministers.

SIMON LAUDER: The Premier Ted Baillieu says he has no problem with the fact that one of his MPs secretly recorded a conversation with Peter Ryan and he rejects suggestions it shows a weakness in the Coalition or his own leadership.

TED BAILLIEU: Listen Bill Tilley's a good Member of Parliament. He's a strong local member. He's passionate about policing, I've said this before. And he has my full support.

DAVID MARK: The Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu ending that report from Simon Lauder.